Playmakers Theatre
Formal Name: Smith, Benjamin Hall
202 E. Cameron Ave.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
Building Number: 042
Year Built: 1851
Built in 1851 as Smith Hall, this Greek Revival structure was designed by renowned 19th-century architect Alexander Jackson Davis and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. Originally constructed as a library and ballroom, it served briefly for classes before being converted into a theater in 1924 for the newly established Playmakers drama group. The conversion marked the building as the first state university structure dedicated to American folk dramatic art. During the Civil War, the Union Army briefly stabled horses here.
A campus masterpiece, Playmakers Theatre remains the most significant architectural work on campus. Davis's design features pilasters along the long sides and west end, emphasizing its temple-like qualities. He added a portico at the eastern end as a welcoming gesture to visitors from the state capital. The building’s stuccoed and gray-painted exterior makes the brick walls appear to be granite. One critic described Playmakers Theatre as a "classic" with "impeccable proportions and the perfect portico."